One-winged Angel
by Katty MasterofViolence
Summary: Melfina's sanity is in question, and the crew is suffering because of it. What will happen to the gang? r/r! MelxGene, MelxHarry, MelxHazanko (hehe), RonxSuzuka, etc. hi. chapter 9 up.
1. Alone

I'm alone.  
There's no one here. I mean, No One. It's just me.  
--And my mind. I think I'm insane. I hear it all the time, like they're not my thoughts...  
//You can't escape from your own self//  
No...no, I won't listen, I can't listen--  
//You know what you must do//  
Someone's in my head... get out...get out...  
//Don't fight me. You won't get anywhere. I'm a part of you. I control you. Succumb to my will--//  
no...NO! I won't!  
"I won't!"  
Was it all a dream? I'm not too sure anymore...my head...I--it's not right--oh my god, I'm going insane, I'm crazy, I'm not normal...  
I'm not normal.  
"Melfina? You all right?"  
What? Oh, it's just you, Gene. I'm OK, just tired, had a nightmare, that's all, I tell him. Just a nightmare.  
You don't believe me, Gene. Just stay out of this, you wouldn't understand...you wouldn't know what to do...  
I don't understand this, and it's my sanity we're talking about.  
Jim's in here now. Everyone, leave me alone! Why won't they go away? Aisha...No, no, leave, everyone! Go away...  
Go away...  
"You okay, Mel?"  
"I'm FINE! Leave me alone! Why won't you just...just go away...GO AWAY!"  
Oh my god. Did I just yell at Jim? At everyone? That's not like me. What's wrong? I need someone who would know what to do--  
I'm crying now. Why am I crying? I don't have any reason to cry. Suzuka--now she's here too. She's sitting on my bed. Suzuka...you've always been the most serious, and now I'm just concerning you. I'm so sorry, all of you. I can't help it anymore...  
I'm not in control.  
//But I am.// 


	2. Run

"I'm worried about Mel."   
That simple comment only caused a deafening, uncomfortable silence.  
"What? I am. It's like she doesn't know what or who she is anymore." Jim stuttered, then shrank at Aisha's half-hearted glare, babbling incomphrehensively. Suzuka said nothing, looking as if she was deep in thought. Most likely about Melfina.  
Melfina chose at that moment in time to emerge into the kitchen of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises, yawning and looking as if she had not gotten much sleep last night. Fact: No one really had.   
Shortly after, Gene appeared, stretching, and in his underwear.   
"Put something on, will ya, Gene? You should have been a stripper or something, at least we wouldn't be broke like we always are--"  
"Awww, shut the hell up, Jim, I'm not in the mood for this right now, okay?"  
That did it.  
Melfina, who had been patiently listening to the two's bickering, stood and cleared her throat.  
"Sorry...I'll just leave. I didn't mean to--" she sniffed. Sniffed again. Turned, and ran out the door.  
"Melfina, wait! Don't go!" Gene tore after her, hollering her name over and over, as if just hearing him would make her stop running and come back. Jim thought it would just make her run faster, and then dismissed the thought. It wasn't really his place to decide. Aisha stood up abruptly. "Do I hear the phone?"  
Sure enough, the phone was ringing. Jim trudged to it, picked up the reciever, and turned the screen on.  
"Hello, James!"  
"It's you..."  
"Why so down? Did Gene do something stupid again? By the way, where is he? It's been so long since I've talked to him and---"  
"He's not here. Call back some other time, okay?"  
"Well where is he? Perhaps I can just go and find him---"  
"Bye, Fred."  
*click*  
Jim trudged back to the table, sat down, and sighed. "I hope those two'll be okay...especially Mel."  
Suzuka put down the cup of tea she was drinking and looked over at Jim. "They'll be fine. I doubt any of them will do anything stupid. Not the way things are right now." Aisha nodded in agreement. "Yeah, don't worry Jimmy-boy, nothin's going to happen to them."  
Jim felt less worried, due to the fact that he had not seen the worry that still lingered in the Ctarl-Ctarl's and the assassin's eyes.  
~*~  
"Hey, Harry, look at this."  
Harry bounced over to his older brother, who was poring over an email he had just recieved.  
"What is it? Another job? How much does it pay?"  
"Easy, there. It's a bounty job. Says here it'll pay 50,000 wong for each crew member, and 100,000 for the ship."  
"Well, who is it?"  
"See for yourself, brother."  
Harry peered at the screen, then his face cracked into a psychotic smile.  
"When do we start?"  
"As soon as possible...  
Starwind won't know what hit 'em." 


	3. Caught

"MELFINA! WAI-aAAA--"  
*thud*   
Gene groaned as he tenderly picked himself off the sidewalk. Angrily cursing to himself, he kicked at the rock he had tripped on. This only resulted in a stubbed toe, and more colorful language. Looking around, he now realized that he couldn't see Melfina anywhere, and that he was completely, surely, lost.  
"Melfinaaa!" Gene slumped on the ground, depressed. He never got the chance to tell her his feelings, and now he would never get the chance. Maybe, one day, they'd meet, and he'd finally--  
"Gene? Are you OK?"  
"Wha--Mel? You're back!" Gene sprang up and fiercely hugged Melfina. The bio-android felt strangely limp in his arms. Empty. He pulled away.  
"What's up, Mel? I know something's wrong, you can tell me--"  
Melfina shook her head dully. "No. You wouldn't understand." Before he could protest, she looked at him. "Some other time alright? I want to go back."  
Gene sensed something was wrong. Her voice didn't have the warmth and innocence it used to have. He shook his head. He was just probably in shock or something. Nothing to worry about. "Well, that's the problem. I don't know where we are."  
Melfina shrugged carelessly (What the hell, thought Gene). "Then let's start looking." Pretty soon, they had found the way back, and was slowly walking toward Starwind and Hawking Enterprises.  
When the door creaked open, Aisha darted to the entrance. "Gene, Mel, you're back! Are you guys ok? What happened?"   
"Shut up, Aisha.."  
"WHAT! DON'T TELL ME TO SHUT UP YOU---"  
"Well now, this is a nice surprise, isn't it? One big happy family all here to save us the hassle, eh, Harry?"  
"Yeah, Ron."  
Gene stared. "What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled.  
Ron only held up an invoice. "It's all in the lettering," he smirked. "And now..." he held up his caster. Pointed it at Gene, who braced himself for the impact. Ron almost fell over laughing. "Haha, don't worry, Starwind. As much as I'd like to kill you, we have to bring you in alive to get all that wong we want. I'm guessing whoever wants you sorry idiots is looking forward to torturing you themselves."  
Suzuka walked in. "What's going on---"  
Ron wheeled around, pointing his gun at her. Then lowered it. "Oh, it's only you," he said. Suzuka seemed offended. "Only me? What are you doing here?"  
Gene growled. "We're wanted. And the Outlaw Star, too. I'll kill whoever it is, I swear--"  
Harry's violet eyes glowed. Laughed crazily. "You'll find out soon enough. Come with us. You don't have a choice, really."  
Ron loaded his caster. "We've wasted enough time as it is. Let's go."  
And they had no choice but to follow. Melfina winced as if she felt something:  
//Everything is going as planned. Good job, my dear. Good job, indeed.// 


	4. Empty

"So where are you guys taking us?"  
"Oh, you'll see. It'll take about a little more than a month to get there, so get comfortable, 'cuz you're not going anywhere."  
"Oh." Gene shrugged. "Well, since we're all handcuffed and unarmed, why don't you let us out of this cell so we can--"  
"No." Ron smirked. "Nice try, though. Maybe when we're closer to our destination. Hmm, how about no?"  
Aisha snarled. "I am a Ctarl-Ctarl! You can't do this to me--I mean to us! Why I'll rip these bars to shre--MRRREEEAAAAOOOOOWWWWW!!!" The smell of burning hair--or fur--filled the cell as the bars electrocuted the cat-woman.  
Harry, who had come up next to his brother, grinned. "Nope. Can't break free, either. And even if you do we got security cameras all over the Shangri-La so you won't get very far. Plus the El Dorado's towing the Outlaw Star and will blow it up if told to, courtesy of me."  
Aisha, now black and smoking with a sizzling sound, snarled. "Why don't you two go and do something constructive, like jumping off a cliff? Shark-hunting, playing 'Chicken' with an asteroid, swimming in the sun? Oh the many possibilities--"  
"Shut up, you pussy (A/N-eheheheheh..)!"  
"WHAT THE F--"  
"Aisha, stop it! I'm getting tired of this, okay?"   
"Well I'm getting tired of them, Jim! I---I--rrrrgh!" Aisha plopped down next to Suzuka, leaning against one of the walls.  
Suzuka, now engulfed by the smell of burning-Aisha, inched away slowly, glaring at the Ctarl-Ctarl. Gene looked quizzically at Ron, who was looking at Suzuka strangely... he cocked an eyebrow. Met Ron's gaze. Saw his captor flush slightly, then scowl. Stomped away, with Harry prancing after him, laughing about wong, fortunes, wealthiness... Gene rolled his eyes and leaned against the bars...  
*zZzzt*  
"YAaAh! Owww...dammit."  
"Wrong wall, Aniki."  
"You be quiet."  
No one noticed Melfina, who had that blank, faraway, pained look in her eyes...   
~*~  
//So we meet again...//  
Everything's so black. Where am I? What's going on?  
//...//  
I can't move!  
//...//  
...I'm scared.  
//Don't be. Why should you be scared of yourself?//  
I'm not! I mean...you're not me!  
//What do you mean?//  
I swear, if this voice I'm hearing had a body, It's grinning evilly right now, with fangs and red eyes...Ugh. If this is a dream, I want to wake up right now.  
//So you want to see what I look like?//  
Um...not...really..  
//Too bad. You got your wish.//  
Ow! OK, now there's too much light. It's too bright! I think I liked it dark in here better... What? There's a black dot forming in the light. It's engulfing the brightness, growing larger. What is it?! Make it stop!  
Red...everything's red...What's going on? I can't breathe, at least I don't think I am...oh, make it stop, someone, anyone!   
//I...//  
What? There's something there. This hissing noise, it's growing louder...  
//I am...//  
The voice is louder, too. What's happening? I'm so scared!  
//I am your fear, I am your anguish, I am your anger--//  
No you're not...make it stop! It's too loud, I don't like this!  
//I Am Your Soul.//  
Am I crying? Am I even alive still? I don't know anymore...I don't know anymore...  
//Ha-ha-ha.//  
No..don't say anything else, please! I can't take it...  
//...Your soul is mine. I am the we of you. We are One.//  
Fire...flames...darkness...red...blood..so loud...it hurts..it hurts so much...make it all go away...make it stop...  
MAKE IT STOP!  
//I can! But only if you let me. Let Go. Let me in.//  
But...the pain...make it stop...  
//I can stop it, I can stop everything. You will not feel anything.//  
I...won't...feel....  
//Let Go.//  
Let go...  
...  
...Yes.  
//...Yes.// 


	5. Possession

...  
*zZzzt*  
"YaAaAh! Not again.."  
"Good morning, Aniki."  
"Shut up." Gene grumbled, and tried to turn over, accidentally bumping into the bars.  
*zZzzt*  
"YaAaAh! God dammit! I'm moving!" Gene shuffled over next to Melfina and sat down, scowling, and looking around.  
Suzuka was gazing outside the cell, obviously thinking about something. Maybe she had the same feelings for Ron that he had for her...Gene tried and (fortunately) successfully supressed a laugh. He had a hard time picturing Suzuka in love, or dating a guy. (A/N- not very good at romance, i'm not, nope..) Gene sighed, slumped down, and closed his eyes, falling into a restless slumber...  
"Aagh...Ugh...Aaa..."  
Gene groggily opened one eye. "Wha--?"  
"Aaa..."  
"Aniki, help! Melfina...Something's wrong!"  
That did it.  
"Melfina?! What the--oh my god..."  
Melfina's back was arched clear off the ground, eyes wide open but not seeing, and strangled gasps were coming out of her mouth. She twitched violently and her arms and legs spasmed crazily. Gene couldn't speak. he was too horrified...  
"Mel...Wha--" he struggled for words. Time was wasting. He had to do something. "Suzuka...Aisha...anyone? ANYONE! HELP!"  
Aisha and Suzuka were at Melfina's side in an instant. They looked at her critically, then applied pressure to parts of her neck. The bio-android immediately calmed down, twitching occasionally, but still blind. At least now there would be no risk of her neck breaking.  
Footsteps were heard running down the hallway. Harry, and then Ron, appeared, panting, and looking confused and annoyed at them. Then they saw Melfina.  
"Shiit..Harry, can you do something? If she dies..."  
"Yeah, Ron, I know." Harry's eyes became unfocused, as if he wasn't in his body anymore. His mouth moved silently, making no noise. "Melfina..."  
~*~  
//Melfina? Where are you?//  
..Who is there?  
//Melfina?//  
//..Who are you?//  
//It's me, Harry. Where--//  
//You do not belong here.//  
//Wha--you're not Melfina! Who are you!?//  
//I am Melfina. I am the side she has always suppressed. Well, no more! She has let go. You cannot save her. No one can.//  
//No..no! MELFINA WHERE ARE YO--AaAaa!//  
You think you can stop me? Try it!  
//Pain...the pain...stop it...aaa!//  
No One can compete with my mind. Melfina tried, and look what's happened to her. I wouldn't recommend you do the same...  
//Aaa...make it stop...make it...stop...//  
"Make it stop!"   
~*~  
Harry slumped to the ground, shivering, cold sweat drenching his vest.  
"Harry! What's the matter! You okay, lil' bro?" Ron grasped his brother's hand. It felt cold and clammy. Something had definetely freaked him out. "What's wrong, Harry?"  
Before Harry had a chance to answer, Melfina stirred. Her eyes refocused, and she sat up, groaning softly. Looking around in a strange way, she met Gene's eyes. Frowned quizzically. "You...you're Gene."  
Gene quirked an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah..that's me..Melfina, are you okay? What's up?"  
Melfina smiled, almost sadly. "I'm alright. Couldn't be better, in fact."  
Ron cut in before Gene could reply. "Harry, what happened?"  
Harry shook his head, refusing to answer. "Nothing..just hadn't done that in a long time, that's all..." Harry had no idea why he was lying. What was he so afraid of?  
//Would you like to join Melfina, Harry?//  
Oh yeah.  
Harry gulped. "..eep..."  
//I thought so. It would do you good to heed my warnings. Understood?// 


	6. Revelation

Suzuka twitched as Aisha's long braid whisked by, narrowly missing her head, but instead wrapping around her neck, then pulling away, giving her the equivalent of mild ropeburn (A/N-long sentence..phew).   
"You're okay, Melfina! That's great, I'm so happy!"  
"We can see that, Aisha, so shut up, sit down and stop talking."  
"Gene, you party pooper!" Aisha immediately sat down to pout, growl, snarl, and sulk, all at the same time.  
Suzuka touched her neck tenderly. "We're all very glad Melfina is alive, but did you have to do that? Maybe we should cut her hair..."  
"And shave her while we're at it, eh, Aniki? We'd save money on grooming supplies.."  
"Hmm...not a bad idea..."  
"I HEARD THAT!"  
Melfina watched silently, marveling in the fact that only Suzuka seemed to be the only one who had the tiniest bit of a clue that she wasn't who she seemed to be. Supressing a smirk, she reveled in the fact that the task at hand would be easier than originally thought to be...  
~*~  
"Hey, Harry. You okay?"  
"What? Oh, yeah, Ron! I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine? I'm just perfect. Couldn't be better, nope..heh...heh."  
"I'm so sure. You know you can tell me anything, right?"  
"Yeah..."  
Ron gave up. "Whatever." Besides, he figured his brother would tell him when he was ready. Well, whenever it was, he hoped it was soon, because he couldn't stand another minute with Harry all shaken up like that. It was just...unnerving.  
He tried to change the subject. "Well, it's been a smooth ride, hasn't it? We haven't run into any bandits or--"  
Harry finished the sentence for him. "--Pirates."  
Just as the word escaped his lips, the control room turned red and an alarm sounded. The ship's semi-monotone voice blared in every room:  
"Warning: Kei Pirates have surrounded the El Dorado and the Shangri-La. Arming Weapons. Warning:..."  
Oer and over it repeated, until Ron banged the console and it stopped. "Dammit! Why now? Why ever? Those f--"  
*Boom*  
The ship rocked back and forth, refusing to let Ron finish his sentence.  
Harry's eyes grew wide. "What should we do, Ron?"  
Ron grimaced. "See if you can get through their security system. If they try to board either of the ships, kill 'em all. If things get to tough we might need to get our little friends from the Outlaw Star to help us a bit."  
Harry shuddered. "I hope not."  
~*~  
"Leave the Outlaw Star and Melfina untouched. If any of you so much as scratch either one, you'll answer to me. Understood?"  
A chorus of 'yes, my Lords' was muttered throughout the ship.  
The shadowed figure nodded sagely. "You may do with the others whatever you wish. Go!"  
The group of pirates let out a war cry, then disappeared silently.  
Hazanko smiled wickedly. It was good to be back, even if being brought back from the dead left you a bit sore.  
//It's a good thing I convinced you to let me handle this, Melfina. Otherwise, I doubt you would have been able to go throught with this.//  
(A/N-kinda didn't know how to end this...oh well hopefully it gets better later on) 


	7. Retaliation

Another impact jostled the ship violently. Inside the cramped cell, The prisoners slid from side to side, trying to keep their balance so they would not hit the bars. To some, this task was easier to them than to others.  
"Woah! Helllp? Ahh--Jim, that you?"  
"Ge-ene, you're strangling me...can't...breathe..."  
"Oops, sorry."  
"Mreeeeeeaowwwwww----*zZzZt* AAAAA-"  
Apparently, Aisha was not very good at keeping her balance.  
"Jim--help---woah--*zZzZt* AAAAA-"  
Apparently, neither was Gene.  
Suzuka remained silent. Her sharp eyes were trained on Melfina, who was wobbling about, holding onto Gene for support. Something was different about her, she was sure of that. But what? She shrugged internally and decided that she would know the truth when the time came. As another shot made direct contact, Suzuka strained to stay upright. It was a pity she didn't have her sword to help.  
She wondered how Ron was doing...  
~*~  
Ron and Harry tumbled down the corridors, in the direction of the cell. Ron figured they needed all the help they could get right now. Harry was lagging behind slightly, carrying the immense array of weaponry that belonged to the crew of the Outlaw Star. Huffing, puffing, and tumbling, the pair came closer and closer to their destination.  
Ron wondered how Suzuka was doing...  
~*~  
Hazanko gingerly sat down, groaning softly as he felt his old brittle bones popping. He was getting old..  
But never old enough for pirating.  
He would never be too old for pirating.  
*crack*  
Hazanko winced. It seemed his body was deteriorating rapidly. Tentatively rising once again from his seat, he strode to the viewscreen displaying the El Dorado and the Shangri-La towing the Outlaw Star. The pirate smiled. Soon, everything he rightfully deserved would be his. It would only take a matter of time.  
//My dear Melfina.. I cannot wait for you to be mine again.//  
(A/N-ok...um, Melfina x Hazanko too, for some odd reason...*shrug* oh well, on with the fic)  
~*~  
"Ron! What are you doing here? I thought you shits were out killing whoever's shooting at us."  
"Can it, dipwad. Here." Ron nonchalantly tossed the caster gun to the bewildered outlaw. "We can't do it alone, unfortunately. We need your help."  
Aisha snarled. "And why should we help you?"  
Harry's eyes were dull. "To save Melfina, to save the Outlaw Star, and to save us all."  
Melfina started. "What? What is that supposed to mean, exactly?"  
Harry semi-glared at her. "Just forget it."  
Suzuka took the sword from Ron, gazing into his eyes just a fraction of a second longer than needed. Ron felt his face flush slightly, and quickly turned away.  
Another impact. The ship jolted harder than before, and the faint sound of straining metal could be heard.   
"We'd better get going. Hurry!" The others tore after Ron, not knowing what would happen.   
Not knowing what lay ahead.  
(A/N- yea yea so what if it's corny)  
~*~  
  
NOTES FOR REVIEWER(S):  
Kylie person: Since when did Melfina die? She's just not 'in there' now. With all due respect, read more carefully next time. And BTW, angst is my style. Don't like it, don't read, it's as easy as that.  
  
OTHER NOTES:   
Forgot to tell you- Flames that are sent for no apparent logical reason will be posted, ridiculed, and severely cursed at, thus probably bumping the rating up to NC-17. Thank you. 


	8. Encounter

It was indeed a strange sight to see the crew of the Outlaw Star and the McDougal Brothers within a fifteen-mile radius and not ripping each others' heads off. It was even stranger to see them side by side, fighting together against a common enemy.  
Except for Melfina.  
She happened to be leaning against a wall, watching her fellow crewmates as they fought for their lives, as well as hers. True, she wasn't a very good fighter, but usually she would have tried to help them or something. Then again, she wasn't really herself, now was she? Those pirate ninjas had appeared out of nowhere as they were running to the Outlaw Star. Just as they turned to run back, more robots had, as it seemed, sprouted up from the ground. Running was now not an option.  
It looked as if their opponents had underwent intensive training or massive upgrades during their absence; they were definetely harder to get rid of than before.  
"Take that, you piece of junk!" Gene accurately fired his caster gun at a ninja that had been thrown into the air by a very pissed off Ctarl-Ctarl. Gene was immediately showered with bits of metal, gears, and springs. "Shiit..."  
Meanwhile, Harry--helped by Jim--was busy trying to hack into the enemy ships. Every once in a while he'd chuckle psychotically, and a random pirate ship would either start to attack other enemy ships, or just blow up. Aisha defended them while they did their work.  
"Rrrr...Take this, pirate freaks!" Aisha snarled, picked up one ninja, and threw it onto a group of ninjas advancing on Suzuka and Ron, who nodded their thanks.  
Ron was getting out of breath. Was he that old? Shooting yet another pirate ninja, he cast a sideways glance at Suzuka. She didn't seem too weary, but then again, she didn't usually seem like anything. Just...stony, yet displaying such an array of emotion somehow. She was enchanting. She was mesmerizing. She was...his crush? Ron wailed despairingly inside. Why was this happening to him? He was supposed to be tough, mean, and cruel! //Argh...//  
Ron didn't know that Suzuka was feeling the same way. Neither knew each what the other was thinking, yet they communicated without words perfectly. Did true love at first sight ever happen before?  
No one noticed a lone ninja reach out of the shadows behind Melfina. No one saw it grab her, heard her muffled scream, disappear with it. Not until it was too late.  
Gene only saw her frightened--but still dull and lifeless--eyes. Then he blinked, and they were gone. "MELFINAAAAAAAAA!"  
With that, The ninjas disappeared.  
So had the Outlaw Star.  
All that was left were the ravaged bodies of the defeated pirates, the McDougals' ships, and the crew, minus Melfina.  
~*~  
//Melfina..you are mine once more...and so is the precious ship. My dear, we must stop meeting like this..//  
~*~  
  
  
NOTES FOR REVIEWER(S):  
  
katty(it is!): *confused* .....?  
Tyrant person: You think it's FUNNIand it needs some ANGST?!!? AAAAAAAAAAA-- ::cries::  
  
A/N- I'm doing these note things alot now huh? Oh well...r/r, as usual! 


	9. Regrouping

//Melfina...//  
//Who..who are you?//  
//Hush. Don't exert yourself. You are still weak; I don't suppose you break down from matter into pure energy and then back to matter with one of my ninjas very often..//  
//Where am I? It's so dark..Quiet..//  
//Shh. You can ask questions later. For now...  
...Rest.//  
//...//  
~*~  
The tired, weary crew of the Outlaw Star mixed with the McDougal Brothers--minus Melfina--slumped on the ground, panting (well, some of them), nursing their wounds tenderly, and looking downright exhausted. All around them were the decapitated, mangled corpses of their foes who had not been so lucky. A thick, heavy silence had filled the air, and no one yet had the courage or stamina to break it. Besides, they were too busy looking after themselves--not to mention each other.  
Gene knelt in front of the wall that Melfina had disappeared through. His grief-stricken face and tired, defeated eyes were too agonizing and pitiful to look at directly. Everyone stayed away from him, hoping he wouldn't suddenly whip around and turn on them. He inhaled shakily, and a lone tear trickled down his scarred face. He whispered hoarsely to no one in particular. "Melfinaa.."   
Jim sat with Harry, trying to calculate the total damage caused to the ships and the repair expenses and at the same time trying to tend to Aisha's wounds. They were not too deep or serious, but she was still losing a large amount of blood...  
"You should see the El Dorado's hull, Harry. It's really messed up."  
"Yeah...This is going to cost a lot, isn't it.."  
"Rrrr...How dare they--ow--injure me! Those ignorant fools deserved to be--ow!--killed! Ow!"  
Ron and Suzuka sat in a corner, surrounded by numerous metal scraps and smoking craters in the walls and floor from Ron's shooting frenzy, talking softly to one another and sometimes reaching out to tend to a wound. No one could really hear what they were saying, but it was apparent that they were getting along well. Once in a while, one of them flashed the other a small but rare smile.  
Harry broke the silence first. "Ron, Gene, everyone, what do we do now?"  
No one answered. An even thicker silence settled down on everything, and it was even harder to muster up the will to talk. Harry was about to give up after a few minutes and sit back down to muse when Gene looked up at him.  
He hair and face was disheveled even more than it had been, and his eyes were duller as well. However, buried deep in them was a sort of resolution. Determination. Revenge. It was sparkling in his eyes and seemed to brighten them as he spoke. "We'll track 'em down. Get Melfina back. Outlaw Star too. Then we kill Hazanko and his ninja bastards once and for all."  
Gene seemed unbalanced (he wasn't really enunciating his words), but Ron pounced on his little speech. "That's the spirit! We'll hunt 'em down, then make them pay to what they did to my damn ship!"  
"And mine, brother!"  
"And ours, too, remember, Aniki?"  
"Yeah, I remember. First thing tomorrow we go get 'em. Deal?"  
A chorus of agreement followed his question.  
Ron smiled with Gene triumphantly, then promptly collapsed onto Suzuka, exhausted and completely helpless. Vulnerable. Suzuka stifled a smile and affectionately stroked Ron's hair. Ah, the many things she could do to him now...  
~*~  
"They're WHAT?!"  
The lowly pirate cowered in front of his supreme master, utterly terrified. Taking a deep breath to try to calm his trembling nerves, he timidly repeated his report.  
"They--The crew of the Outlaw Star and the McDougal Brothers are--are--" he breathed again, "are--coming to take revenge and retrieve the bio-android and the--the--ship--"  
He was cut off by a roar of rage. Staggering backwards and tripping over himself to land in a heap on the floor in a hasty effort to get as far away from his master as possible, the pirate could only hope that Hazanko would not suddenly decide to take it out on him, which he often did. However, his master only paced back and forth furiously, muttering and cursing.  
"So they've got the guts to come after me, do they?! Well, now, they'll be sorry, I'll see to it personally. Those---Those---" Hazanko cursed fervently.  
"--Well, they won't get what they came for..."  
Hazanko glanced at Melfina, who lay prone on a soft bed near the far wall of the room. He wouldn't let them take her away from him, nor the ship. They were his. They always were, were now, always would be.  
//Always will be. Mine, mine, mine...// 


End file.
